Rev. Nils Jesús Hernández, D.Min

About Our Pastor

Fr. Nils de Jesús Hernández, D.Min.

Fr. Nils de Jesús Hernández de la Llana was born in Nagarote, León, Nicaragua on December 18, 1968 to the late Julio César Hernández Sánchez and to the late Rosa Victoria de la Llana Baca of Nagarote. Fr. Nils attended Elementary School at St. Rose, Middle School at Marvin Palacios, and High School at the Instituto Nacional Autónomo Fernando Salazar Martínez, La Salle, and Instituto Nacional St. Francis of Assisi, graduating from high school in December 1987.
He was the Hispanic Minister at St. Patrick Parish in Dubuque in 1995-1998. He served as one of the coordinators of the Archdiocesan Fiesta Latina for five years. He attended Divine Word College and Loras College, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy and a Minor in Religious Studies in 2000, Cum Laude. He studied theology at St. Mary’s Seminary and Pontifical University in Baltimore, earning a Master of Divinity and a STB degrees in 2004. He served pastoral internships at St. Ambrose of Woodbury Parish, Woodbury, MN; Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA; St. Joseph Parish, Mason City, IA; Loyola College, Baltimore, MD; St. Edward Parish, Waterloo; and Sacred Heart Parish, Glyndon, MD. Fr. Nils was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Emeritus Jerome Hanus, O.S.B. on June 26, 2004.
He served as the General Coordinator of the three cycle Archdiocesan Hispanic Congress (2005-08). Fr. Nils served as an Associate Pastor at Queen of Peace Parish, Waterloo, IA including the role of Director of Hispanic Ministry and Liturgy. Then, he was appointed Associate Pastor of Immaculate Conception and St. Wenceslaus Linked Parishes, Cedar Rapids, IA, with Pastoral Ministry to the Hispanics parishioners in the area. Fr. Nils served as a member of the Loras College Board of Regions, Dubuque, IA Had Hac Committee for Diversity from 2007-2014.
Fr. Nils was appointed pastor July 8, 2008 at the Holy Family Cluster Belmond, Clarion and Eagle Grove, Iowa with additional Pastoral Ministry to the Hispanics parishioners in the area. He completed this assignment on June 9, 2014.
He began his Liturgical Studies at The Liturgical Institute at St. Mary of the Lake University & Seminary (Pontifical University) on June 22, 2011. He completed his second Master Degree in Theology in the area of Liturgy on May 7, 2016. This degree was done during the summer—six weeks each summer for five years. Fr. Nils served as a priest rep at the Archdiocesan Priest’s Council for four years and was a member of the Archdiocesan Worship Commission for a three year term completing this term on June 2014.
Archbishop Michael O. Jackels asked Fr. Nils to pursue another degree in Doctor of Ministry beginning the Fall of 2016. Fr. Nils began his Doctoral Degree (D.Min.) at St. Mary of the Lake University & Seminary (Pontifical University) on August 29, 2016. Fr. Nils became Pastor of the Trinity Cluster July 8, 2014. On May 4, 2019, Fr. Nils received his doctoral degree Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.). The title of his doctoral thesis is “Accompaniment and Discipleship in Light of Racism: A Pastoral Reflection on How People Can Cope With Racism.”
On June 2020, Fr. Nils was appointed for a six year term as Pastor of Queen of Peace Parish including Pastoral Ministry to the Hispanic Parishioners in the area. This appointment is effective July 14, 2020.
Fr. Nils has been serving as a Board of Directors of Peoples Community Health Clinic in Waterloo, IA since July 2021 to present. He completed his first three years term on June 30, 2023. On July 1, 2023, Fr. Nils began his second three years term.
On January 28, 2023, Fr. Nils was selected by Archbishop Emeritus Michael Jackels to represent the presbytarate of the Archdiocese of Dubuque on the Continental Synod Listening Session for Priests which took place via Zoom Meeting on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 from 3:00-5:30 PM ET. Fr. Nils attended another meeting to hear the final draft that was sent to Rome form the Continental Stage Listening Session for Priests.
Two milestones for Fr. Nils in 2023: 1)November 5, 2023: 35th anniversary of his exile to the USA from his Mother land Nicaragua. 2) He will turn 55 years old on December 18, 2023. May God bless Fr. Nils and his beloved country Nicaragua. May peace and justice be restored even when the politics of the country do not look very promising. May Our Blessed Mother, the Ever Inmaculate Conception, la Purisima, protect Nicaragua.
On Wednesday, June 26, 2024, Fr. Nils will be celebrating 20 years as a priest ordained for the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Dubuque, IA.